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Journalists are not heroic, but quite passable as villains with a conscience, writes James Naughtie

It would be terrible if journalists were too celebrated on the stage. Nothing could be worse than an attempt at heroism. Tedious though it is to have to endure the flagellatory self-abasement of some of the trade, who enjoy wallowing in the self-pity that’s really pomposity in disguise, it is always better to be kept in your place than to be put on an artificial pedestal that’s bound to crumble away. We’re stuck with the caricature of the morally duplicitous hack because, in truth, it’s safer and more comfortable than some shining suit of armour which never quite fits.